The Shadow Of Nighthawk
by walkalosa
Summary: A boy a princess a siren and a butler go on an adventure


Chapter One: Into Fire

My mother had just given me leave after the annual re-thatching of the roof. I decided to take a walk to my grandmothers house to get some bread and a few cheeses for dinner that night. I started out on the few mile hike, usually I went through the woods but this time I decided to take the prairie. But before that I needed to cross through a swamp I where I had to walk slowly to be sure not to stumble and twist my ankle like I had the summer before. I came across the swamp and took of my nice shirt just resized by my mother the night prior this action revealed my tan, toned skin. I shook my shaggy brown hair that had been trimmed by my insistent father the week before. Once I exited the swamp I put my shirt back on and started off again.

Running through the prairie on a winding path, I come across an old abandoned two floor farm house, it looks as if has been abandoned for a long time, with sections caving in. I stop, despite the sense of foreboding I could not but help to investigate, so I slowly climb each creaky step up to the door of the old abandoned house. I knock once or twice but there is no answer. I wait a few seconds and I knock again. I inquire, "Is there anybody home?". I touch the old brass door knob, turn it very slowly, and a push the door open. Somehow I feel welcomed into the old home in a way that there is a presence in the room with me, inviting me in, but my common sense says to stay out -but I ignore it. I step inside and a huge gust of wind blows from the upstairs, taking all the dust off of the furniture in front of me that was still there from the previous owner. It felt like sandpaper when it blew across my face, I had to close my eyes. I paused for a few seconds in pain. I stood back up just thinking it was a random event that happened and then moved on. The sun had set now and the moon was beginning to rise, I realize that it is quite dark. The only light shining in was through a partly shattered window on the side of the house. The moonlight revealed morbid drawings on the walls that I couldn't quite make out fully. The only clear thing I saw was an old secretary's desk and pictures of a Man, a Wolf and a Raven. I thought this place a secret, and only known to me, but it was apparent once I saw these drawings, and that some of the dust was gone that I wasn't the one who discovered it.

This thought puzzled me for I knew we were the first ones to live in this area, but I figured someone was probably here before. I walked over to the secretary's desk interested in what was inside, I slowly reached out my hand for the old wooden knob, and pulled the door open. This action revealed an old letter, yellowed by time, still in its envelope. I was curious what was inside, so I opened it. It was blank and I thought nothing of it, it was probably just somebody's letter that they never had the chance to send off, to someplace that was unknown to me. That thought seemed somewhat frightening to me and I wanted to know who lived here before. I felt the room get very, very cold. I had flashbacks, a vision to when I first saw the man on the wall outlined in a whitish chalk. He was about 8 feet tall and very slender, I remember walking by him not thinking why he was there, but now it occurred to me that maybe he was there for a reason. I quickly turned around and saw that the man on the wall no longer there, my heart began to race. My mind asked repeatedly what is this evil place that I've been trapped in. It's too dark to see now and fear was beginning to wrap its cruel grasp around my mind.

Then I remembered the door, from memory I stumbled over to where I thought the door was but I was incorrect, the door was on the opposite side of the room opposite to the window. I dashed over to the other side of the room, my hands fumbled over the wall looking for the doorknob. I began to grow more frantic as my hands did not find the familiar cold brass. Finally my hand hit something I quickly grabbed on to it, feeling a small sense of relief I gave it a tug. I quickly looked behind me to see what I was so afraid of, I thought to myself was something behind me? Indeed there was, it was the man from the wall, he was standing behind me. I closed my eyes trying to pretend he wasn't there. I was pulling with all my might on the door at this point trying to get it open, with every ounce of my strength I pulled on the door and finally got it open. I ran as fast as my legs could take me down the prairie trail back to my house, and never looked back. The rest of that night I looked back at it like that was some horrible dream, but the next day when I woke up I had some longing to go back to the house. Later that day, around noon, I figured I'd go back to that house and try to see what the inside looked like in the daylight. The door was still open the way I left it the night before, everything was the way I left it before. This thought puzzled me, the Man, the Wolf and the Raven were all in their same place. Feeling some sense of fulfillment I walked back courageously feeling like I accomplished something. Later that night, I decided to go to the house once more just to check on things. But the man on the wall was in the same place as the night before. This time he appeared in front of me, he looked down at me, we stared eye to eye but he had no face. Suddenly he swung his arm around hitting me in the head. It knocked me back and to my knees. I got back up and ran to the door, I did not look back just like the last time but this time a new thought came to my mind, I need to come back armed. The whole rest of the night I could not sleep, I was thinking of how I could kill that man. I knew that he was evil, I had no reason to believe it, but somewhere inside me I just knew. The next night, I went back to that place with a sword and five arrows and a bow. I realize that the door was now closed so I opened it. I walked inside and the desk was also shut. I walked over the desk, opened it again, and took out the letter. I opened the letter and this time there was writing on it. The letter read, "you have come back again and again, but this time you will be punished for your perseverance."Suddenly the man appeared again but this time I drew my sword, and was ready for whatever he had in store. The man approached me quickly, he lifted his hand high above his head and tried to strike me. I stepped aside and swung at him with my sword, it hit him in the side and he fell down. I knew this was my chance so I swung for his neck, but he disappeared. He reappeared behind me, hitting me in the side, I fell to the ground and I knew that my time was near, but I denied that fact, and when the man tried to strike for my neck, I took a blind stab, and hit him in the throat. I could feel his strength instantly disappear, I pushed him off of me. I noticed that there was a dark pool where he fell.

I stood back up, knowing that I had accomplished something. I knew that I had banished evil, but it was not over. Then I looked over to the wall, and noticed that the wolf was no longer there. I could hear snarls as if the wolf was near me, but I could not see the wolf. Then I felt the wolf pounced upon me, pinning me to the ground. I struggled to get up but the wolf was too heavy, I knew that I had one chance. With one fluid motion, I picked up my sword and stabbed the wolf from the side. The wolf yelped in pain, and began to drip a red liquid. This began to form a puddle on the floor, and the room began to get very hot. The puddle began to grow, soon it surrounded me. Then I started to fall, the wolf was falling with me but somehow he was getting farther away. I drew my bow and arrow, knowing that if I can take a ranged shot I have a better chance of living. So I took my aim, and shot the arrow at the wolf. And the arrow hit the wolf directly in the side. I could see the wolf go limp, I knew that I had killed it. I was now aware of the approaching ground. knowing what was to come I hit the ground with a loud thud and blacked out. Later I woke up, with a large man standing above me. He said "well hello there boy, it's been awhile since we seen an outsider like you, Well just me, because I'm the only human that lives here. My name is Marcus, I have been stuck here since birth, banished here for some reason by a witch." I said "well it's nice to meet you Marcus, but honestly have no idea how I got down here. But it would be nice to know. Also, do you know if there's any way to get back to the normal world?" Marcus said "Why there is, but I've never been brave enough to attempt it." I said "well why not." Marcus said "well, you have to get past the fire guard, he's the person in charge of the portal back to the human world. He's really grumpy all the time. I don't even understand why there is a portal if nobody ever goes through it. Oh, and we're going to have to patch you up in the Borderlands." I asked "What you mean the Borderlands, what is that?" Marcus answered "well the Borderlands are the space between the ice caps and the normal fire realm. That is where I go to get healed, the springs of healing. But the only way there is by dragon." I asked " what do you mean dragons, there are no such thing as dragons."Marcus answered " there is everything that has to do with Fire down here. Including mythical animals." I asked "if I were to get a Dragon how would I be able to ride if it didn't know me?"Marcus answered "well it's a bit like a dog, if you feed it, it will obey you." "Well okay then but how do I get one?"I asked. "Well it's quite easy to see just have to find one they're all over the place."Marcus told me "there's one now I'll go get it for you."After a while Marcus came back to me with a dragon barely in his control the only item allowing control of the mighty beast was a large rope. Marcus quickly handed the rope to me " it's your problem now!" I hung on as tight as I could I was being drug around like a rag doll I was handed a large piece of meat and tossed it to the huge scaly beast and just like Marcus said it obeyed me I untied the rope.

"Well it's all set up. Just hop on and follow me." it was scary at first but I eventually brought up the courage to hop up and I quickly got the hang of it, and we're soon off to the borderlands. Once we arrived I found the healing spring and drank the water like Marcus told me and within seconds I was healed.

"Well what do I do now? "I asked Marcus

"do you feel ready to face the fire guard?" Marcus asked

"I think so." I answered

"Well he's in that direction."

Marcus pointed east "go get them." I climbed back up and my nearly trained dragon flew off the direction that Marcus told me to go. But on my way there I noticed something on the ground, so I swooped down and got it. It was another letter so I wouldn't dare open it for fear of bad things happening. Soon I found a big castle, it looks fit for a fire guard. So I figured I'd pay him a friendly visit, so I walked up to the gates, guards standing there. they were not exactly friendly. So I told them "I have an appointment, so you need to let me in." They responded with "no one has ever made an appointment with the fire guard so you need to leave." "Well then I am the one exception." I said. "Follow me just check my books here." the guard said. The guard behind me slowly raised his spear then swung at my head. I ducked quickly to dodge his attack. And retaliated with my sword, but the other guard had already engaged me. The other guard tried to stab me but he hit his friend instead. I saw an opening and a killed the other guard. I heard a call, from the guards above and heard a person say a few things. I did my best impersonation of the guard that I had just killed and it apparently worked, And the gate opened. I walked inside and apparently more guards saw me, and I was attacked again. Acting like I was hurt I fell to the ground, the guard thought he had killed me but I quickly stood back up and finished it. It was now a clear shot all the way to the fire guard or so I thought,I sprinted through the winding hallways spiraling upwards when I reached the top. I could see the portal room just on the other side of the the arena that sat on the top of the tower. I jumped down into the arena but then from across the area I could see the fire guard jump down in front of me blocking my path he yelled over to me "You have killed most of my men, but I guarantee you will not pass here." "Oh, you think you can stop me here well guess what I am on a roll." apparently that upset him and he charged me,I drew my sword and dodged his first swing and parried his attack and stabbed him in his armpit. The fire guard barely felt it he simply swung his ax around and hit me in the back knocking me to the ground. He tried to take another swing at my back but I rolled to the side just barely escaping his attack. Rolling away gave me time to stand back up, I realized that he wasn't very fast with his ax so if I could just make moves in between attacks I could kill him. I charged him and he went for a low swing so I jumped over his ax and swung down with my sword cutting deep into his shoulder, the blow knocked him to the ground. "That was a good hit boy." the fire guard said. He began to stand back up so I decided to take my chance and swung his neck but he also swung to block me. Our weapons missed each other and my sword dug deep into his neck, his ax hit my chest and sent me flying. When I got back up I noticed that he was dead so I saw my chance to escape through the portal. I ran up the stone stairs on the far side of the arena, to a stone room where the portal was held. I jumped though, I felt the portal swirl around me the seconds later I blacked out.

When I woke back up I was in a room with a strange girl standing over me, my whole chest was wrapped in bandages and I was in a small wooden house with a stone fire place, she said

"Oh, you're awake now you were out for a day or so I was kind of worried you had lost a lot of blood." I tried to sit up but the wound on my chest hurt to much.

"Ow that hurt, what happened anyway." I asked

"Lay down you shouldn't sit up quite yet but when I heard you were challenging the fire guard I had to see it."

"Why did you save me?" I asked. "Because I would hate to see a hero die." She replied "Oh, thanks. So how did you fix the cut on my chest?" "I have my ways." "Oh,ok then." "Get some sleep." "Ok." When I woke back up the bandages were off my chest, I sat up and saw that the healer was gone I got up and went out of the tent and saw that I was in a mercenary camp. I saw the healer and walked over to her

"What is this place?" I asked.

" This is the order of Helios." she said

" Why am I here?"

" You killed the fire guard we had to recruit you, also here is your sword, it is a little much for me but you can have it back."

"Thanks so what do you use? I don't see a weapon."

"I don't use one I am a siren I use pure energy."

Then the field runner ran up to the healer " a message for you master." the runner handed her a small letter she opened it after reading it over for a while she called out over the camp " Mount up we ride to Brackenfell, our job is not to let the cattle fall to the enemy." I saw a scrabble of people taking down tents and mounting horses they rode out to the east toward the rising sun. " Connor your horse is just over there, he is a 2 year old so he might be a little jumpy but you will do fine. It's his first fight and its your first fight too so this should go over just fine." The healer said. I walked over to him, he seemed scared at first and reared but then patted his nose and he settled down. "Good boy" I mounted up and rode out following the healer. We rode for two days before reaching Brackenfell when we got there we meet with the king he told us that trade routes were crippled because of the advancing army and the castle would become too weak to sustain itself if the war went on any longer. The next day the sky was dark and the army was on the horizon, They were burning everything in their path they marched at a steady pace looking not ever to tire when they got in range archers shot arrows at them but only a few fell. Then they stopped and the battlefield was silent and only an ominous wind was blowing but the grass did not move with it. The enemy's faces could not be seen behind pitch black helmets. My horse danced back and forth with excitement and fear suddenly the healer drew her sword and when she pointed it down she screamed "charge!" the lines leaped forward and I nearly flew off the back of my horse, my horse was racing toward the lines of the enemy. My heart was pounding it felt as if I its was going to beat straight out of my chest when we hit their lines I drew my sword and cut down any man before me, I was deep in the enemy but the they closed in around me the cut and slashed at me but my horse bucked and kicked he managed to make a big enough gap for us to escape we regrouped with our battalion, but there weren't many of us left the healer called " Retreat!" and we ran back to the castle as we dodged arrows that whizzed by our heads. Once we were inside the gates slammed closed. We went from 500 hundred men down to 300, we were told to get back I heard pounding at the front gate, the gate's wood splintered and cracked. Then It burst open then a monster of a man stepped forward dressed in all black armed with a giant scythe when people looked upon him they shook in fear. Then someone whispered to me "that's Sam the reaper." Sam stepped forward and bellowed "who dares to challenge me, who will have the stupidity..." then Sam crashed to the ground on his back was a huge dent in his armor standing behind him was a man dressed in all white with a hood covering his face the man was not very tall he looked more teen like but before I got to see his face he jumped away. The army around Sam looked shocked our leader shouted, "What are you waiting for? Charge!" We jumped forward and crushed the the battle, when we were addressed by the king, our leader Gorth was knighted by the king at the royal castle. Latter our party was invited to a huge feast it was rumored the princess was to attend the feast and every man in our party was very excited to meet her. She was to be married by late next year but her wealth was also a target for she had three other sisters who wanted the throne.

Later that night our company gathered in the great hall and it looked as though every wealthy man in the country was in the room, most of them dressed in very fancy clothes and spending gold like it was nothing. Then I saw her, the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. Princess Star. She was about 15 and she walked with such grace and elegance. She walked down to our table and sat at the head of the table across from her father, I was placed In the seat right next to her. The feast was not that eventful but it was a very merry time. But after the dinner I asked her to dance we got out onto the ballroom floor we danced for maybe two minutes then I noticed a strange man out of the corner of my eye he had a pipe then suddenly a guard collapsed. I heard screaming and panic broke out I kept a tight hold on the princess as she buried her head in my chest. I picked her up and I ran out the door I was quickly followed by guards who were called off by the princess once we got to the royal gardens. I put her down I asked her what happened. She said it was an assassination attempt. I asked "Why someone would want to do that?" She said "Because of this." She pulled out a gemmed necklace with a large gem at the center. " What is that?" I asked. She said "It's one of three pieces to summon a beast of unfathomable strength." "What do you mean a beast?" I asked "This beasts name is Raven, he existed long ago in a time of great evil, but he was defeated by a great warrior who was a beast himself." "How was he a beast?" I asked "he could transform into a beast equal to raven and out of sheer luck was able to defeat him." By this time our pursuers were right behind us I picked the princess up she squealed a little bit and I hid in the large bushes next to the trail our enemy ran right by us I told the princess "We need to get out of here." I picked her up and sprinted back around the castle and to a side keep on the wall where I found Gorth and I asked where the healer was. He said they were detaining the assassins in the castle I told the princess to stay with Gorth I will be right back. I sprinted off toward the castle. Inside I found the healer she said, "We have everything under control. Where is the princess?" I told her,"She is with Gorth."

Later on I found the princess with Gorth we all regrouped outside of the gates of the castle. I asked the healer her name, she told me it is Star and also apologised for never being formally introduced. I said " It's ok." Star told the princess that she would be safer with the order than in the castle. Her father was reluctant but agreed. The princess mounted my horse with me and we rode back west to our main camp there was a grand celebration for the victory that we had achieved that night. I went for a walk out into the woods, there was a small pass through that forest leading up a large hill overlooking our camp. I sat at the top with my sword resting on my shoulder and as I looked out across the landscape I saw the fires that twinkled like the stars in the sky. They twinkled like the princesses eyes, in that moment I promised that one day I would have her. I would make her mine. This thought comforted me I knew deep down that we were meant to be, I knew I had to protect her in every way I could. I got back up and walked back down the pass back to camp back to what I knew now as home

I talked to Star about the princess and where she would sleep. She told me in my tent, she then asked me if I could handle myself. I said "Yes I can"

"Good you better." Star Said. I walked the princess to my tent she asked. "Is this my tent?"

"It's our tent." I said. The princess blushed a little and turned away trying not to show her flushed face.

"It's ok isn't it?" I asked.

"Yes, are you sure you won't get us in trouble?" She giggled.

"Yes, I am sure." I walked into the tent, our beds were very close together, in fact to close. She flopped down on her bed and I lied down, she cuddled up to me. " I have never laid down with a man before." She said gleefully. I pushed her away a little, "Don't get any bad ideas." She smiled. I closed my eyes Then I fell asleep

The next morning she was stretched out across me. Royalty look a lot less majestic asleep I tried to move her carefully without waking her but she woke up she said playfully "Good morning handsome."

I pushed her off of me then got up and stretched. I grabbed my sword and walked out to the brisk summer morning. There was dew on the grass and the birds were singing their morning songs. Star walked up to me "judging by your messy hair you slept well" I chuckled "the princess is very forward to say the least." Star laughed. "You better get ready you have training today."

"Ugh ok." I had always hated training, my father was always demanding of my ability for me to get any better. I walked over to the field where most of the group was training I paired out with a man named Vincent he is about my age maybe a year older than I. He said you must be new I haven't seen you before. I drew my sword and matched it to his "Just because I am new doesn't mean you should take it easy on me." My father had made me a very skilled swordsman so I was a formidable opponent for Vincent. We were equally matched until Vincent took an overhead strike and I parried and stopped right before hitting his neck. "I win." I said. Vincent lowered his sword and said " fine you do win" although Vincent was quite a bit smaller than me he was a great swordsman for his size. Later on that day I found out from star that we were moving again to guard a castle out by raga dale out in the olden swamps. Later on that day a small feast was held to honor the ones we had lost in the holding of Brackenfell. The princess looked out of place at the feast in her dress and her long black hair which was smoother than silk. She was honored and sat at the head of the table and I again was seated next to her. The feast was held outdoors on a beautiful summer evening, there was a gentle breeze from the south and everything was calm, the feast was more of a celebration of life than the morning of death. Later that night after the feast Star came up to me and asked if we were ready to move out the next morning I told her yes.

The next morning a small group of about 20 us packed up and moved out to Ragadale. It was a few days ride from our camp but not a very hard ride until you got to the olden swamps. There was only a small path through the swamp and it was the only way though from the east and one path out from the west we were coming from the east going west. Ragadale was a very big trading city, it is the most diverse of the cities in the area. It's full of dark elves, elves, orcs and men. We started off from camp early in the morning and rode the whole day we stopped in Gravendeel to rest and to camp out but the princess, Star and I rested in the nearby inn we rented two rooms as that was all that was available. So once again the princess and I had to sleep in a room together. I lied down on my bed and the princess laid down in hers and we fell asleep, suddenly I was being shaken awake by the princess and I noticed that the room was filled with smoke."What's happening." I asked. "She said there is a raid going on. I'm scared!" She said.

"Stay low." I said. I carried the princess out of the now burning building when I found Star

"Nearly everyone was killed by this thing, this beast!" Starr exclaimed

"What does this beast look like?" I asked

"It has sharp claws, wings of bone, and three scars across it face." Star said frantically.

"This sounds like a demon I have seen before" I said solemnly

She grabbed my arm "how do we defeat it?" She yelled

"I don't know star I have struggled to live with this demon for many years." I said

I walked away and drew my sword "This time I will defeat you."

The demon had his back turned to me and I rushed him. But he sidestepped my attack and made me fall flat on my face. "Ow." I said. I got back up the demon looked at me for a long time and said nothing at first but then he rushed me and knocked me down, my armor shattered and I was dazed and a scar on my arm was showing the demon stopped and said "I have seen that mark before, this is a foolish ploy the order will regret this." Then suddenly he vanished. Star ran up to me. "How did you do it." She asked.

"I-I um don't know." I stuttered. my head hurt my eyes burned and I could not think straight. I over heard a little girl crying I could not help but to investigate I kneeled down in front of her and asked her "what's wrong?"

She said "You,you did this." Then I started awake I was breathing heavy I got out of bed "ahh my chest hurts." I whimpered. I was still in the hotel room the princess was sound asleep maybe i just need some water. I walked down to the well that was just outside the door I drew up the bucket and took a drink. The water was fresh and clean just like at home, it reminded me of home, reminded me of my parents. I wondered if I would ever see them again. I hoped I would. I could see the sun, the yellow orange ball rising. It looked like it was being spit from the earths crust the sky was beautiful it was one of the most beautiful sunrises that could remember. I walked back inside the hotel, when I got back inside breakfast was sitting on the table and I sat down "Is the princess up yet?" I asked. "Yes she will be right down." a few seconds later the princess walked down. "Hey." She said. She wiped the sleep from her eyes. I ran up and hugged her "I am so happy you're ok." I said happily. "Wait why." she asked. "I had a bad dream that's all." I told her. "Oh okay." Later Star told me we would be leaving the princess here and we need to continue. She also told me the king was sending his best man to help us but she did not know his name. I saddled and mounted my horse and we rode off we were about and hour into our ride when I notice a man walking towards us he was wearing a big black trench coat, and a hat that hid his face he was about six five and his arms were huge he reached into his coat and pulled something that looked like a hand musket but different and a lot bigger I saw his finger move and the hand musket made the loudest noise I have ever heard.

Chapter 2: Crossing Paths

My horse and Stars horse jumped as the forest next to us exploded and a body flew out onto the trail "You done goofed." The man said in a accent I had never heard before and he stomped on the neck of the man "Damn assassins." He tucked the hand musket back into his coat. he walked up to us I drew my sword. "You will come no closer until you tell me who you are." I could see his mouth under his hat he was smirking. He slowly took off his hat and took off his glasses and held them up to the afternoon light "I sir am Wolfgang, butler to the king and princess." I slowly put away my sword. Starr said "ahh yes you must be the one the king sent." "Indeed I am madam." "Why don't you have a horse?" I chimed in. "Bah! Horses and useless to me." "Are you coming with us to Raga Dale." "Yes I am, I have been assigned to protect you unfortunately." "We will camp at sunset then about 10 or 12 miles from here Raga Dale is only 15 miles away." Starr said

"Why don't we just make the whole ride in one day?" I asked "It is very unsafe to ride at night There is a band of witches that come out at night." Starr said "Why are they so dangerous? I can take a few witches." I said

"These witches are very powerful Connor." Starr said

" These dirty heathens will face Heinrik , Lanch Deverio, and El Pumpo." Wolfgang emptied the muskets as he introduced them then put them back away one by one Heinrick was Introduced as a small, what Wolfgang called pistol,x that never needed to be reloaded. Lanch Deverio was a 13 mm hand cannon that shoots explosive rounds. and finally El Pumpo is a eight gauge shotgun that fire depleted uranium rounds. We rode on with Wolfgang at our side on our ride I saw a very fat black and white cat. I wondered how a cat could get that fat out in the wild. Raga Dale was now on the horizon. The castle was huge. "Well this is going to be fun to defend." I said

"I remember when we took a small vacation to Raga Dale the princess and I." Wolfgang said happily "we had a good time." he said and he smiled. We found and nice spot on the edge of the forest to camp out for the night. We dismount our horses and we set up the tent I lied down on my mat and quickly fell asleep I partly woke up partly I heard a thunder in the distance. I opened my eyes I saw torches hundreds of torches "Shit enemy raid." I yelled and scrambled to my feet and grabbed my sword I stood face to face with hundreds of of men. Starr stepped up to my side and Wolfgang to my other side "Looks like we have quite the challenge ahead of us." "Surrender the princess" the General yelled at us I pulled out my bow and I asked Starr "Can you light this on fire for me?" She lit it on fire I shot the arrow and it hit him in the chest and the general laughed. "Hey Wolfgang you see where that went?" "Yes I did. Why? "I need you to follow up." Wolfgang pulled out Lanch Deverio and shot and the general army was in shock I charged the army cutting down people around me. Starr yelled "get back!" I took a step back and the ground in front of me shook and then a huge bright light appeared and there was screaming and then the army was gone. "What just happened?" I asked. "I haven't used that in a long time!"

"What was that?" I asked. "That was my siren ability." Starr said ,"How come you have never used that in any of our battles?" "Because it nearly kills me everytime I use it." Starr said with a grim look on her face. "We should be getting some sleep." Wolfgang yawned. We all got back into the tent and we all fell asleep one by one. The next morning was bright,cool and cloudless. I got up off my mat and stretched and yawned I noticed there was a cat in our tent. I looked at it puzzled "What are you doing in here kitty?" It meowed and walked over to me it purred as it brushed up against my leg. I looked away for a second and I felt a sharp pain in my neck I coughed up blood I couldn't breath there was a strange woman in front of me holding a bloody needle I fell to my knees I reached for my sword and pulled it out of the sheth she was walking away I could barely move I swung and missed "S-sh-shit" I crawled towards her "S-stop." I was about to black out when her head exploded. She fell backwards in front of me then I blacked out. I later woke up in a giant bed in a huge white room with blood dripping from my arm. A what i suspected to be a nurse walked it to the room. "I am glad to see you're awake." she smiled "Where am I?" "You are in the grand care. of the grand hospital in Raga Dale." "What happened to me?" "You were poisoned with capracus, its most commonly used by witches in the area its usually deadly but you got lucky it missed your jugular." I touched the blood soaked bandages on my neck I wondered how this happened. How could i have been so sloppy to let myself be almost killed. Wolfgang walked into the room and picked me up "I am taking this." he said

"BUT HE'S NOT HEALED YET!" The nurse said trying to hold Wolfgang back. I can honestly say she was trying but failing, against the sheer brute force of Wolfgang. He carried me out to a tavern about five blocks away from the hospital it was called the Red Boar, "I can walk you know." I told Wolfgang. "I am under strict orders not to let you." Wolfgang scolded. "Who has the authority to say if I can or can't walk?" I asked. By this time we were in some back room of the Red Boar and he set me "Don't move or I will shoot out your kneecaps." Wolfgang said. And of course I didn't move a muscle. There was a lot of arguing outside the door than a crash followed by a lot of screaming and just sat there with my hands folded in my lap.


End file.
